Juglans regia Linn. (Juglandaceae), popularly known as English or Persian walnut, is a valuable medicinal plant with a potency to cure various diseases in traditional medicine. Since ancient time, different local ethnic groups have used various part of J. regia for a wide array of ailments including helminthiasis, diarrhea, sinusitis, stomach ache, arthritis, asthma, eczema, scrofula, skin disorders, diabetes mellitus, anorexia, thyroid dysfunction, cancer and infectious diseases. Biological activities of J. regia have been reported in several peer review journals and scientific attention is increasing. The present review attempts to provide comprehensive information on plant description, ethnobotanical use, toxicity, phytochemical profile, pharmacology, clinical studies and current research prospective of the J. regia. Currently, there is an immense interest on isolation/identification of active constituents from walnut and screening those active compounds for pharmacological activities. In addition, researchers are performing clinical trials as well as screening various solvent extracts or fractions of J. regia in several animal diseases models to identify promising therapeutic benefits. In the present work, we review the latest information based on published scientific investigations of J. regia.

OBJECTIVEHypercholesterolemia is one of the well-established risk factors for cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in coronary heart disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-atherogenic effect of Chungtaejeon (CTJ, a Korean fermented tea) aqueous extract on proliferation and migration of human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs) in vivo and in vitro.

METHODSThe authors used high-fat atherogenic diet (HFAD) to induce hyperlipidemia in Wistar rats in in vivo animal experiments and used HASMCs for in vitro cell experiments. For the in vitro cell experiment, the proliferation of HASMCs was evaluated using the MTT assay. Similarly, the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in HASMCs was measured using gelatin zymography. Antimigratory activity of CTJ was revealed using the wound-healing model and Boyden 's chamber assay. In the in vivo experiment, CTJ was administered in three different doses for 20 d from the initiation of the HFAD. After 20 d, the serum lipid profile and total lipid contents in liver were measured.

RESULTSTreatment with CTJ for 24 h dose-dependently inhibited the proliferation and migration of HASMCs and expression of MMP-2 in HASMCs. The oral administration of CTJ at concentrations of 200 and 400 mg/kg decreased the levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total serum cholesterol and hepatic cholesterol of HFAD-fed rats.

CONCLUSIONCTJ possessed strong antiproliferative, antimigratory, as well as lipid-lowering activities. Thus, CTJ can be considered as a therapeutic option in the treatment of high-fat diet-induced atherosclerosis.

Animals ; Atherosclerosis ; prevention & control ; Cell Movement ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Diet, Atherogenic ; Fermentation ; Humans ; Male ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Tea

Aegle marmelos Linn. (Rutaceae), commonly known as "bael" in Nepal and India, is a valuable medicinal plant and is considered sacred by the Hindus. It is used to cure several diseases in the Indian traditional medicine system of Ayurveda and has had similar uses among many ethnic communities residing in Indian subcontinent for over 5000 years. Its leaves, bark, stem, fruits and seeds have been used for various medicinal purposes. Bael fruits are especially effective in the treatment of chronic diarrhea, dysentery and peptic ulcers, while they are also useful as a laxative and cure for respiratory infections. Scientific studies have validated many of the ethnomedicinal uses of A. marmelos, which include antibacterial, antiviral, antidiarrheal, gastroprotective, anti-ulcerative colitis, hepatoprotective, antidiabetic, cardioprotective and radioprotective effects. Recently, this plant has also received attention as an anticancer agent for the treatment of various types of cancers. Thus, this review focuses on scientific evidence verifying the important pharmacological activity such as antioxidant, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective and anticancer activity of A. marmelos.
Aegle ; chemistry ; Animals ; Anti-Infective Agents ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Antioxidants ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Phytochemicals ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry